Manchester United have taken a significant and concrete step forward in their ongoing pursuit of a new midfielder. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the club’s representatives held a direct meeting with the agents of Brighton & Hove Albion’s star midfielder, Carlos Baleba, on Saturday.
The talks were reportedly focused on discussing the structure of a potential contract, including details such as contract length and salary. This is a clear and common strategic move from United, who want to secure a full agreement on personal terms with the player before submitting an official transfer bid to his club, Brighton.
This development shows United’s very serious interest in the 21-year-old, despite being previously daunted by his huge asking price. Brighton reportedly value the Cameroonian international at a staggering €120 million. By agreeing terms with the player first, United will hope to strengthen their position in what are expected to be very tough club-to-club negotiations.
Securing a new midfielder remains a key priority for manager Ruben Amorim before the transfer window closes. After a summer of heavy spending on his attack, culminating in the recent signing of Benjamin Šeško, the manager is keen to add a top-quality, energetic presence to his midfield engine room.
While recent reports had suggested that Baleba would be happy to stay at Brighton for another season, these direct talks over a contract indicate that a move to Old Trafford this summer is still a very real and active possibility.
Manchester United’s chase for Carlos Baleba is now firmly underway. The immediate focus is on reaching a full agreement with the player’s camp. Once that is achieved, the next and most difficult step will be finding a compromise with Brighton over their enormous valuation.